Hattiesburg-Students in the tourism management program at The University
of Southern Mississippi will host a special fund-raising event featuring local
chef Robert St. John and Mississippi artist Wyatt Waters.

A
Summer Seafood Supper is set for April 21 from 6 -10 p.m. at the Hattiesburg Lake
Terrace Convention Center. The event will begin with a wine reception and silent
auction followed by a tasting supper. St. John will demonstrate the preparation
of a summer seafood supper, while Waters uses this seafood palette to create one
of his original watercolors. The cookbook A Southern Palate, written by St. John
and illustrated by Waters, will be available for purchase and signing.

A
silent auction begins at 6 p.m. and dinner is set for 7 p.m. Guests can bid on
a variety of items representative of various partners in the hospitality industry
including dinners, shows, Gulf Coast fishing trips, New Orleans and Destin weekends,
cooking items and a trip for two at a Sandals and Beaches Resort.

The
supper is organized and hosted by students in the in the Southern Miss Department
of Tourism Management. Professor Catherine Price said, "I greatly appreciate
all of the contributions from Robert St. John, an alumnus of this department,
who is always giving his time and resources to support the tourism students."

A portion of the proceeds from this event will fund scholarships
for tourism management students to attend national, regional and state professional
association meetings. This year, three $500 scholarships were awarded to assist
students in attending the annual Professional Convention Management Association
meeting.

Tickets are available through the Hattiesburg Lake
Terrace Convention Center at $35 per person. For more information, contact the
convention center at (601) 268-3220 or Denise Crozier in the Department of Tourism
Management at (601) 266-6762.

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